


The Secret Ingredient is Love

by whisky_and_lace



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Normal Life, One Shot, Original Character(s), POV First Person, Romance, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 14:58:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18758755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisky_and_lace/pseuds/whisky_and_lace
Summary: "You'll never be too much for someone who can't get enough of you."Just a collection of one-shots between Steve and you. Set in a first-person style and following the couple through regular, daily life instances. Nothing too heavy nor too...dirty. c; Like the collection states: old-fashioned romantic. 

This particular installment involves a cooking lesson~





	The Secret Ingredient is Love

**Author's Note:**

> I'm new to these sorts of writings, so forgive me if they're different than others you might have read in the past. x: If you have an idea for a plot, that seems to go along with the ideas I'm writing, then don't hesitate to comment below!

 

     “Do you think I should bake them something?” Your voice was soft and faint as you called out into the rest of the house, hoping to catch the ear of your target. After drying your hands with a towel, you thumbed through a series of pages in a tried-and-true cookbook that had once been your grandmother’s, still not getting an answer from your previous question.  
     “That’s up to you, babe. I’m sure whatever you do will be great.” Out of nowhere, Steve’s arms crept around your waist as his lips found their place along the exposed curve of your neck. You laughed while playfully trying to fight against his embrace. There was something about him incasing you with this strength that made your skin tingle, your heart race, and just feel like you were floating.  
     “Steve! That’s not helping!” You cupped his cheek with your right hand as he placed more kisses on your skin.  
     “Give it a chance, because it might!”  
     Giving it your all, you turned around and placed your hands onto his chest. Your eyes locked and for the longest moment, the world stopped moving. You both were lost in each other; you both felt nothing but the love between you. These were the moments you looked forward to in every day, and also the ones you lost count of.  
     “Why don’t you help me instead?”  
     “I am helping!” He said, with a smile.  
     “You know what I mean! I’m sure I have an apron you could wear.”  
     His face was pleading for you to drop the topic, but your pouting was slowly beginning to work on him. This wasn’t the first time you had asked him to play in the kitchen with you, but you were determined to make this the first time he actually said yes.  
     “I’d be all fingers and thumbs.”  
     “That’s exactly why I need you! We’ll be making pie dough!” Your voice was excited and it showed on your face.  
     “Baby, please… Don’t make me do this.”  
     "Just once? If you hate it, I'll stop begging."  
     He couldn't deny your pleading; the way your brows came together, the sadness in your eyes. He hated telling you no and you noticed this, but you never exploited his weakness...not  _that_ often anyway.   
     "Alright, you win this round." Steve closed his eyes in preparation for the upcoming dread. All you could do was laugh before giving him a quick kiss to thank him for his willingness to put up with your silly demands. You knew it would be a fun afternoon, it was just convincing him to see that that would be the hard part.  
     "You'll have me! I'm not going to make you do this alone! I'm not that mean!" Holding his face with both your hands you saw that beaming smile come back to his face. He was so handsome; the reason for the "all-American" phrase to exist and he was yours. This past year had been a whirlwind, but for all that had happened, it was worth it.  
     "Yeah, you better not leave me! I might have to punish you!"  
     "Oh no! If I anger Captain America, who will help me!?" Your tone was overdramatic, borderline comical; like bad B-movie acting.   
     "Calm down there Miss O'Hara." He said with a grin. "You're still on my good side."  
     "I wonder how much flour I can cover you in before I end up on the other side." You had one eyebrow raised slightly, your eyes never breaking fierce contact with Steve's.   
     "Let's  _not_ find out."  
     "Pretty please?"   
     He answered you not in words but with a kiss. It was long, slow, and without the need for explanation. It was the kind of kiss that made you forget what you were talking about before it happened. They were your favourite kind and you loved that Steve was never in a hurry. He always took his time with you and always made you the priority when he could. Slowly but surely, Steve was rewriting all the wrongs done to you by previous lovers. As hard as it was to believe, you were learning to love again. Once the kiss finally ended, you were left scrambling to remember what you were doing.  
     "Ready to make a mess!?" You gave him a little wink while waiting for him to release his hold on your waist.   
     "Can't we just...do this?" After stealing another kiss you began to rethink your plans for the afternoon. "I like this better."  
     "I have an idea: if you help me bake this pie, then I'll reward you after."  
     Steve moved his hands to hold your face tenderly. "Deal."   
     Once he let you go, you went about gathering bowls, measuring cups, and the like while Steve lovingly watched you. You knew he was gazing, as he did often, but it didn't bother you like it did in the beginning. You knew the only reason he wasn't helping you right now was that he had zero ideas what to you needed and what you did not.   
     "So, what do you know about them, again?" Reviewing the contents of the recipe, you grabbed the last few ingredients and hoped what you had planned would be well received.   
     "Well, he's ex-military - Marines, I believe - and she's some kind of author." New neighbors had moved into the house up the road, and you really liked the idea of putting together a little gift basket as a "welcome to the area" sort of thing. Having already picked up a bottle of wine, a scented candle, and a beautiful flowering plant, the last item would be a homemade dessert to seal the deal. Steve had run into the couple while out on a run and knew you were the type of person to go out of your way to make someone feel welcomed. This house warming gift idea was right up your alley.   
     "Okay! Ready to get started!?" You were all smiles, but Steve...well, Steve was all dread. "Are you gluten intolerant?"  
     "Don't think so, why?"  
     "You just seem scared of flour!" That made him laugh, taking all his unwillingness to participate away. From the pantry, you found a generic apron for Mr. America to wear, throwing at him smiling. He caught it before it completely blanketed his face.   
     "I'm just not a fan of the mess, is all." Steve tried to stay composed even though you were trying your hardest not to laugh at him. "C'mon, let's get this over with."  
     "I promise it won't be that bad!"  
     At first, he just stood beside you and just watched as you measured out everything in the order indicated by the book, but then as time went by he moved until he was directly behind you again. Placing his hands on your hips, his cheek nuzzled into your hair as you struggled to pay attention to what you were doing. You wanted to let your head fall back into his chest, your eyes to flutter closed. Hating to tell him no, you knew you needed to get your work done before any kind of play could transpire, but Steve was making it hard to do anything you had set out to do.   
     "Steve!"  
     "Yes?" He said, whispering into your ear.  
     "If this is your plan to get out of helping me, it isn't going to work!"  
     "Oh, that's a shame... I guess I'll just have to try a little harder." Steve nibbled on your ear as you felt shivers ripple through your entire body. This man was unbelievable in all the best of ways but you had something you needed to finish! Inspiration struck when you realized it was time to knead the dough; time to put his eager hands to work. With the dough now on the island counter you took his hands from your waist and did your best to make sure coat them in flour before showing him what he needed to do. Once he was preoccupied, you spun back around to face him. Immediately, Steve's eyes found yours nearly as quickly as his lips met your own. He resisted removing his hands from the dough to take a hold of you, but realizing that was a bad idea he simply pressed you gently into the counter; his body heat transferring to your already warm skin.   
     "Can we be done yet?" He asked softly.   
     "Not quite," you said, breathless. "Sorry."   
     Steve shifted slightly and you could tell he was trying to be "good", but the more you teased him, the harder it was for him to behave. Knowing you were really only making the situation worse, you ended the latest kiss and gave a look of playfully apology.   
     "The deal was for  _after_ we were done."  
     "I was hoping that could be changed." His blue eyes blinked slowly as he smiled. The love he had for you knew no bounds, and he made sure to shower you with affection daily. It was something you never grew tired of.   
     "We're almost done." After one last, quick kiss, you turned back around to finish what he had started. Steve stopped helping after that. Although his hands remained clutching the counter his forearms kept you where he wanted you to be. His warm breath danced across your skin like a heatwave. You knew if he continued on like he was he was going to win. "Steve, behave."  
     "But I am behaving." He purred. "I'm a good boy."  
     "Maybe it was a bad idea asking you to help me." Fighting back the urge to play along with him, you told him to get cleaned up; he was off the hook. All you had to do was roll out the dough, then the rest would snowball to completion. "Go on, I'll finish this."  
     "Running me off already?" He was still pressed against you, cradling you as you both stood still in harmony. "I can stay. I don't wanna leave you alone."  
     After some convincing, he finally stepped away to the sink to wash his hands, but he made it a point to steal looks whenever he could. No sooner had he left your side did he return to tightly wrap his arms back around your waist. You had nearly got the dough rolled out and in place when he started up his affectionate antics once more.   
     "I love you," he said. "You're beautiful."  
     "Steve!" You replied in pleasant surprise. "I love you more."  
     He stayed quiet while you worked, pouring in the handmade cherry filling into the pie plate and finally covering with the top crust. You made it. It was now time for the oven to do the rest of the work. The experience had been a fun one, yet you still hadn't accomplished your goal of having him completely help you in the kitchen as you wanted.   
     "Time to let go, please." You asked sweetly.   
     Unwilling to part at first, Steve gave your neck one last kiss before letting you have your way. Once the pie was safely in the oven, and the mess cleaned off your hands you met him in the center of the kitchen where he had been silently watching and waiting. You both smiled when your eyes met, the spark nearly visible.   
     "Care to dance with me?" He offered you his hand and you took it without hesitation.   
     "I would love to."  
     Time flew by as the two of you clung to each other, slowly swaying to the sound of your own heartbeats. The sweet smell of sugar and cherries lofted through the kitchen into the rest of the house. Steve, with his cheek against your forehead, set the slow pace for the waltz. It was these moments that never lasted long enough, but for the time that they did, they were perfect. The two of you danced until the timer on the oven went off, then after the brief interlude, continued long after the dessert had cooled. Hopefully, the new neighbors enjoyed the gift as much as you two enjoyed putting it together.  


End file.
